n 1998, the pharmaceutical company Pfizer introduced a new
medication called Viagra®. Within a year, this small blue pill racked up sales
of over 1 billion dollars, and its popularity is still going strong. It is
estimated that over 4 million men in the United States
take Viagra on a regular basis (many women do too). Because of its
popularity—and, therefore, its ability to generate enormous profits for
Pfizer—other drug companies are working around the clock to develop drugs
similar to Viagra. TAP Pharmaceuticals plans to introduce Uprima®, to compete
with Viagra, early in 2003.

The reason that Viagra is such a bonanza for Pfizer
(besides an aggressive, ongoing, multimillion-dollar ad campaign) is that this
prescription drug revolutionized the treatment of impotence (which is called
erectile dysfunction by those who lack the courage to speak plainly). In the
United States, it’s thought that at least 30 million men suffer from impotence.

Achieving Erections Is Hard Work

The physical and biochemical processes involved in
achieving and maintaining an erection are complex, which is one of the reasons
it took drug companies decades to come up with a product such as Viagra. In
simplified terms, here is what happens. The first spark in the erection process
occurs in the brain (the number one sex organ), which sends nerve impulses to
the penis to get things going. The action begins with the production of nitric
oxide (NO) from the amino acid arginine. NO, a vitally important
neurotransmitter, penetrates the outer membranes of almost all cells in the
human body, and it helps regulate many cellular functions.

In the smooth muscle cells of the penis, NO stimulates the
production of a compound called cyclic GMP, which causes these cells to relax.
This allows copious amounts of blood to enter and engorge the penis (in a
specialized area called the corpus cavernosum), which obligingly stiffens as a
result. Voilà—an erection. To ensure that the erection doesn’t last too
long, however (believe it or not, that can be quite uncomfortable and even
dangerous), the smooth muscle cells of the penis also contain phosphodiesterase
(PDE), an enzyme that breaks down cyclic GMP. When this happens, the excess
blood drains from the penis, and the erection wilts.

Knowing the mechanism just described, one can imagine
several ways in which an erection could be induced and maintained for longer
periods of time. The way Viagra exerts its biochemical magic is by inhibiting
the action of PDE, thereby allowing cyclic GMP in the penis to remain at high
levels. Because of this, the blood doesn’t drain out, and the erection lasts
longer. Uprima, the first prescription drug to compete with Viagra, works
earlier in the process by amplifying the brain’s erection signal to the penis.

Although many men may view Viagra as second-best only to
getting a drink from the fountain of youth, the fact is that this drug is not
for all men—even those who are impotent. First of all, it is not 100%
effective: some studies show a failure rate of 40–50%. Second, Viagra is
expensive: most pharmacies charge between 9 and 10 dollars per pill! Viagra is
also not without side effects, some quite serious. A significant percentage of
men who use this drug experience headaches, facial flushing, and upset
stomach—none of which goes particularly well with sex.

For men who don’t want to pay
$300 a month for Viagra,
there is
a safe, natural alternative known
for at least 5000 years.

For men who have heart problems and are taking any kind of
medicinal nitrates (such as nitroglycerin for chest pain), Viagra’s side
effects can be much more serious, with death being a very real possibility.
Uprima also has some significant side effects, including nausea, vomiting, and
blackouts—and women just don’t take kindly to such things during intimate
moments.

For millennia, people in China,
Korea, and other regions of
the
Orient have used ginseng to
increase stamina, decrease
fatigue, and boost
their libido.

With so many men suffering from impotence, prescription
drugs such as Viagra will continue to make millions of dollars for their
pharmaceutical creators, no matter how outrageously priced they are or how
unpleasant the possible side effects. However, for men who don’t want to pay
$300 a month for Viagra or who are on nitrates and don’t want to pay with
their life for a night of fun, there is a safe, natural alternative that has
been known for at least 5000 years.

Ginseng—A Natural Prosexual Herb

Ginseng, often called the “king of herbs,” has been
used in the Far East since antiquity. Chinese inscriptions representing ginseng
have been found on bones and tortoise shells that date back to about 3000 B.C.,
and the earliest record of its being prescribed for medicinal use dates from
about 500 A.D. For at least that long, people in China, Korea, and other regions
of the Orient have used this remarkable herb to increase stamina, decrease
fatigue, and give a boost to their libido.* Now research on the biochemistry of
ginseng and on its effect on human sexuality is showing that these
ancient tales are well founded in scientific fact.

*Ginseng’s biological activity is found in extracts of
the root of the plant. Owing to the root’s oddly characteristic two-legged
shape, and the effects that the extract has on men, ginseng is oftencalled “manroot.”

It should be noted that we are talking here about the type
of ginseng commonly called Asian ginseng or, more specifically, Chinese or
Korean ginseng. These are all the same plant, Panax ginseng, but different
varieties of it are cultivated under different conditions and processed in
different ways throughout Asia, so there are many variations on that botanical
theme. As we will see, a high-quality variety called Korean red ginseng is of
particular interest. (For more information, see the sidebar below.)

Is All Ginseng Created Equal?

Ginseng is the name given to at least three different
plants that are used as “tonics”—substances to strengthen the body and
regulate stress. The most widely used ginseng is Panax ginseng, variously known
as Asian, Chinese, or Korean ginseng. American ginseng, Panax quinquefolius, is
also considered a true ginseng. Siberian ginseng, however, is not a true ginseng
but a closely related plant, Eleutherococcus senticosus.

Even though all three ginsengs are used as tonics,
herbalists and others familiar with herbal remedies tend to use them for
different purposes. Korean ginseng is considered to be the most potent or
stimulating type of ginseng. In traditional Chinese medicine, Korean ginseng is
said to have more yang energy (yang and yin represent all the opposing
properties in the universe, such as male and female, active and passive, hard
and soft, hot and cold, stimulating and sedating, etc.). American ginseng, on
the other hand, is said to be more yin in nature and is used for people who feel
worn out because of a high-stress environment. Siberian ginseng, like Korean
ginseng, is seen as having more of a yang nature and is often used to increase a
person’s endurance and stamina.

Recent scientific studies have shed some light on the
different natures of the two true ginsengs. Korean ginseng has been shown to
contain more Rg1 ginsenosides, which have more stimulating effects, whereas
American ginseng has a higher percentage of Rb1 ginsenosides, which have more
sedating effects.

Get the Full Story! Click Here for the 2015 Red Ginseng Special Report, click here.

Korean Red Ginseng Works in Animals

A paper entitled “Ginseng, Sex Behavior, and Nitric
Oxide,” published recently in the prestigious Annals of the New York Academy
of Sciences, examined the scientific evidence behind ginseng’s purported
beneficial effects on sexual health.1 The authors stated that there is hard
scientific evidence that certain active chemical ingredients in ginseng, called
ginsenosides, have prosexual effects. In their own words, “There is good
evidence that ginsenosides can facilitate penile erection by directly inducing
the vasodilation and relaxation of penile corpus cavernosum. Moreover, the
effects of ginseng on the corpus cavernosum appear to be mediated by the release
and/or modification of release of nitric oxide from endothelial cells and
perivascular nerves.”

The authors based many of their conclusions on laboratory
studies done on rats and rabbits. One animal study specifically examined the
effects of Korean red ginseng (KRG) on the penile erectile tissue of rabbits and
the erectile response in rats.2 In both test-tube (in vitro) and live-animal (in
vivo) experiments, KRG significantly enhanced penile erectile capabilities, with
the authors concluding that “KRG potentiates the erectile response in normal
animals.”

Korean Red Ginseng Works in Men Too

Of course, as good as a supplement (ginseng or any other)
may look in the laboratory, no significant claims should be made about it until
it is tested in humans. Fortunately for men who are interested in taking Korean
red ginseng for impotence, such tests have recently been conducted, and the news
is all good.

There is hard scientific evidence
that certain active
ingredients in
ginseng, called ginsenosides,
have prosexual effects.

A recent study done in Korea examined the effects of KRG in
45 men (average age 54) who had documented impotence, defined by the authors as
the “persistent inability to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient for
normal sexual satisfaction.”3 All the men underwent a rigorous, week-long
baseline medical evaluation, including testing of their erectile function (or
lack of it). They were then randomly selected to take either 900 mg of KRG or
placebo three times a day for the next 8 weeks (the study was double-blinded, so
no one knew who was getting what). There followed a 2-week “washout” period
during which none of the men received any pills. Then there was another 8-week
testing period during which the men who had initially received the KRG were put
on placebo, and vice versa. In this way, each man served as his own control—a
technique called crossover.

Significant Improvement in 60% of Men

The results of this study showed that Korean red ginseng
lives up to its reputation as a prosexual herb. A full 60% of the men taking KRG
reported a significant improvement in achieving and maintaining an erection
(this percentage is comparable to that of Viagra). Furthermore, the men who took
KRG reported higher scores for sexual desire and satisfaction in intercourse.

Korean red ginseng lives up toits reputation as a prosexual herb.
A full 60% of the men
taking
KRG reported a significant
improvement in achieving and
maintaining an erection.

Interestingly enough, there was no difference between KRG
and placebo when the men were asked about orgasmic function. The researchers,
while admitting that the number of patients in the study was small and that
further studies are needed, nonetheless concluded, “Considering that some
patients with erectile dysfunction are reluctant to depend on a drug to achieve
erection, Korean red ginseng could be used as an alternative remedy with its
multiple beneficial effects on health.”

Ejaculation and Orgasm—Two Parts of One Whole?

Most men (and most women), if asked what the difference is
between male orgasm and ejaculation, would probably say they’re the same
thing. After all, for the vast majority of men, the one doesn’t occur without
the other. Yet the surprising fact is that ejaculation and having an orgasm are
two different things, and they do not necessarily go together.

Ejaculation—the release of semen—is a purely reflexive
action. Men who have suffered severe spinal cord injuries that left them in
wheelchairs can ejaculate without having an orgasm; in fact, they can ejaculate
without having any sensations at all. Orgasm—that overwhelming sensation to
which no words can do justice—is associated with rhythmic contractions of the
pubococcygeal muscles, located in the pelvis, and represents the sudden release
of accumulated sexual energy and tension.

In Western culture, an orgasm with ejaculation is generally
seen as the culmination of sex. In many Far Eastern cultures, however, it has
long been known (and taught) that orgasm and ejaculation are not one and the
same thing. Men who learn to separate the two are able to have multiple orgasms
throughout their lovemaking activities while maintaining a firm erection. While
this might strike some as New Age nonsense, the noted sex researchers Alfred
Kinsey, William Masters, and Virginia Johnson all came to realize that
ejaculation and orgasm are indeed two separate parts of one pleasurable whole.

Korean Red Ginseng—An Ancient Herb for the Modern Man

Impotence is a common yet still too often ignored problem
in men. Although drugs such as Viagra undeniably help many men with this
affliction, the high cost, as well as the unpleasant side effects, are obstacles
to many others, who are left with the feeling that they have lost a vital part
of their life. For these men, and for others who desire the benefits of Korean
red ginseng for whatever reason, this ancient herb may be just the boost they
need to be able to rise up each day with a smile on their face.

Get the Full Story! Click Here for the 2015 Red Ginseng Special Report, click here.

Dr. Rosick is an attending physician and clinical assistant
professor of medicine at Pennsylvania State University, where he specializes in
preventive and alternative medicine. He also holds a master’s degree in
healthcare administration.